NC Gov. McCrory: Colleges Should Stress Majors That Lead to Careers

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory fueled a firestorm of controversy Tuesday by saying colleges should focus more on careers for graduates and less on academic pursuits “that have no chance of getting people jobs,’’ the Charlotte Observer reports.

The Tar Heel State’s top Republican said on Bill Bennett’s syndicated radio show that the “educational elite” had taken over higher education by offering courses that do not lead to jobs after graduation.

The governor joined Bennett in criticizing academic areas such as gender studies and philosophy, according to the Observer.

“If you want to take gender studies, that’s fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job,” McCrory said.

Educators at the University of North Carolina immediately took issue with the comments.

“He was elected to represent all the taxpayers. He was not elected to decide what has intellectual value and what does not,” Altha Cravey, an associate professor of geography, told the Observer.

Later, McCrory’s office said his remarks were “not meant to be a personal attack on UNC.’’